U.S. Issues Warning on Bakken Shale Oil

Safety Alert Follows Explosions in Train Accidents; Crude May Be More Flammable Than Other Types

The federal government issued a rare safety alert on Thursday, warning that crude oil from the Bakken Shale in North Dakota may be more flammable than other types of crude.

The warning comes after two federal agencies spent months inspecting Bakken crude, including oil carried in recent train accidents that resulted in explosions. The latest blast occurred earlier this week in Casselton, N.D., 25 miles west of Fargo.